Why OtoSet® is a Safe & Efficient Way to Remove your Patients' Earwax

Earwax accumulation is a pervasive ear-related issue that millions of people experience today and a leading reason people visit healthcare professionals. In fact, earwax removal is one of the most common procedures ENT surgeons, audiologists, and other healthcare professionals perform.

According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology, over 35 million Americans are affected by excess or impacted earwax. Outdated tools and methods cause healthcare professionals to spend greater time for less effective results. OtoSet® was designed to address these issues and provide an updated and efficient solution.

Current Ear Cleaning Practices
Ear care is a typically overlooked area when it comes to healthcare innovation. While this field has evolved, the technologies used for ear care remain largely outdated. Ear cleaning practices we use today began in 1821 when an otologist decided to use a bladder syringe to clean the ears. Little has changed from this method which means that standard practices haven’t changed much in over 200 years! Common methods for earwax removal include:

• Ear irrigation: this practice involves flushing water or a saline solution into the ears using a syringe. This is used to soften earwax which then becomes loose enough to extract.
• Suction: micro-suction involves using a suction device like a small vacuum aspirator which helps pull ear wax out of the ear.
• Curette: a curette is a long and curved medical instrument that is used to scrape and remove earwax. This method tends to not be as common today due to risk.

These ear cleaning practices can be challenging and ineffective in a few ways. First, these methods can be messy with water and earwax spilling onto the patient. It can get especially messy if the removal process needs to be repeated a few times which tends to be the case. Injury may also occur when inserting sharp instruments, such as a curette, into the ear canal to remove earwax. Inserting instruments into the ear can lead to a perforated eardrum (a hole or tear in the eardrum) or other injuries, some of which can affect one’s hearing abilities.

In addition to being messy and risky, these practices are not very effective. It is estimated that for 30% of people who seek medical attention for earwax removal, standard practices fail to completely remove earwax. This highlights the challenges that both healthcare professionals and patients can experience when it comes to these outdated practices for earwax removal.

OtoSet®’s 21st Century Solution
From true wireless earbuds to high-powered digital hearing aids, the devices we use with our ears have changed, so why shouldn’t the way we provide ear care

OtoSet® provides a safe and efficient way to remove patients' earwax. The world’s first automated ear cleaning system, OtoSet® offers an innovative solution. The wearable device - worn like a pair of over-the-ear headphones - maximizes micro-suction and irrigation technology to swiftly and effectively remove earwax.

OtoSet® was developed with the expertise of specialists like ENT surgeons and primary care physicians. Our goal was to offer a solution for the needs of healthcare professionals in the field which required thoroughly understanding those needs. Integral to the research that was conducted to design the device was reaching out and working with various physicians who have extensive and daily knowledge of what is needed.

We used this expert knowledge, innovative technology, and sleek design to create OtoSet®. Disposable ear tips that attach to the headphones, spray a warm saline solution against the walls of the ear canal to soften earwax. These tips are designed to spray against the walls of the ear canal rather than at the eardrum.

Continuous micro-suction extracts the solution and earwax back through the nozzles and into disposable waste containers. With both the ear tips and waste containers being disposable, OtoSet® offers a contained and mess-free process. One cleaning cycle lasts 30 seconds compared to the 20+ minutes of current ear cleaning practices. Also, the rechargeable battery offers long-lasting support, allowing healthcare professionals to perform more than 50 procedures on one single charge.

Not only is OtoSet® incredibly efficient but it is also effective and convenient for patients. It thoroughly removes earwax and is entirely automated, without the mess of the older methods. OtoSet® can streamline the earwax removal service at your practice, making the professional earwax removal service that you provide simple, efficient, and safe. Contact us to learn more about OtoSet® and how your practice can benefit from this new medical device!